Fountain-pen.



Patented Oct. 2|, |902.

N. C. STILES.

FOUNTAIN PEN.

(Application led July 25, 1901.)

. (No Modem' WI'TNESSES,l

B Y l Z a4 TTORNE YS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NORMAN O. STILES, OF WATERTOWN, NEW YORK.

FOU NTAINPEN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 711,709, dated October 21, 1902.

Application filed J'uly 25, 1901. Serial No. 69,680. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, NORMAN C. STILEs, of Watertown, in the county of Jefferson, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fountain-Pens, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description. v

My invention relates to improvements in fountain-pens, having more particular reference to the means whereby the ink reservoir or chamber may be iilled with ink without removing any of the parts.

The object of this invention is to produce a simple, practical, and efficient fountainpen having a suitable ink reservoir or chamber which is adapted to be filled by suction by inserting the end in which the pen is mounted into a body of ink and then applying the mouth to the other end for producing a suction at the latter end,'thereby drawing the ink into the reservoir.

A further object is to provide suitable means, such as a float-operated valve, whereby the influx of the ink into lthe reservoir automatically closes the suction-passage communicating with said reservoir.

A still further object is to provide a suitable plug or movable member in the suction end of the device whereby the valve may be positively forced from its seat against the action of the iioat and at the same time positively close the suction-passage.

To this end the invention consists in the combination, construction, and arrangement of the parts of a fountain-pen, as hereinafter fully described, and pointedout in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure lis a vertical central section through my improved fountain-pen, showing the various elements of novelty therein. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are isometric views, respectively, of the movable plug in the suction end of the penholder, the cap for closing the end of the ink-reservoir, and the float-valve movable in said reservoir. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 5 5, Fig. l. Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional views of the upper end of a fountain-pen,

showing slightly-modified forms of my invention. Y

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

In Fig. l I have shown a cylindrical ink reservoir or holder l, a sleeve 2, removably secured to one end of the holder and having a pen-holding and ink-feeding device 2 detachably secured therein, a cap or sleeve 3, detachably secured'to the other end of the holder, a plug 4, movable in the cap 3, and a float-operated valve 5, movable in the reservoir, said reservoir 1, the pen and cap sections 2 and 3, andthe plug 4 forming a suitable inclosin g case.

The ink reservoir or holder I may be of any desired form, size, or construction, being, preferably, of the standard cylindrical form, and provided with internally-threaded portions 6 and 7at its opposite ends. The sleeve 2 may also be Yof any desired form or construction, being usually provided with a threaded nipple 8, adapted to engage the threaded portion 6 of the holder 1, and with a tapering lower end 9, said sleeve being also provided with a suitable annulus or shoulder l0, adapted to engage the lower end face of the holder l for limiting the inward move- 'walls of the sleeve 2, its lower end being reduced in size and extended beneath the lower end of said sleeve andis adapted to engage asuitable pen 12, which is impinged betweenl the inner face of the sleeve 2 and the adjacent face of the member 2'. This member 2 is provided with a' lengthwise ink-passage adjacent to the pen for feeding the ink in small quantities to the tip of the pen in the usual manner, this operation being well understood by those skilled in the art, and it is believed to be unnecessary to further illustrate or describe the same. The upper cap or sleeve 3 is also provided with a threaded nipple I3, an annular flange or shoulder 14, and a hollow upward extension 15,having an internally-threaded portion 16. This cap or sleeve 3 is screwed into the upper end of the holder l and is provided with a tapering valve-seat 17, extending upwardly from its lower face and communicating with the interior of the extension l5, thus forming a continuous passage from the lower to the upper IOO face of said sleeve or-cap 3, the upper end of the valve-seat 17 being of less diameter` than the opening in the extension l for forming an additional valve-seat or shoulder` 18.

The plug 4 is inserted into the socket of theextension 15, being provided with a screwthreaded portion 19, engagedwith the inter-A nal threads 16, and is also formed with a suitable extension or mouthpiece 2O and .af

cates with the branch passages 22 and serves to connect the main passage-with the valveopening 17 when the plug is adjusted away from the valvefseat A18. p

The fioat-valve 5 is movable lengthwise in the chamber of the inkweservoir l, being usually provided with a taperingupper end or valve proper,24,and havingahollow lower end 25, the tapering portion 24 being-adapted toiit within the valve-seat 17 when the plug 4 is elevated from the seat 18, and the hollow portion 25 forming a suitable air-chamber open at itslower end, whereby the valve 5 is automatically seated when the reservoir is filled with ink.

The lower extension 9 of the sleeve 2 and the upper extension 15 of the sleeve 3 are arranged lo receive a suitable cap 26, shown in Fig. 1 as secured to the extension 9, this cap being of the usual construction and is adapted to be removed from the sleeve 9 and placedupon the extension 15 when desired to use the pen.

In the operation of my invention when it is desired to fill the reservoir with ink the cap 26 is removed from the extension 9 and the plug 4 is unscrewed or elevated from its valveseat 18 a sufficient distance to establish communication between the central passage 21 and the valve-opening 17, the holder 1 being held in an upright position and the valve being norlnallyat the base of the holder or unseated from its valve-seat 17. l The lower end 1 of thereservoir upon which the penis mounted is then inserted into a body of ink, and the upper end, or rather the portion 2O of the plug 4, is inserted in the month of the operator,

who then sucks or draws the air from the inf `teri'or ofthe holder 1 through the apertures 21, 22, 23, and 17, thereby causing the ink to iiow upwardly into the reservoir, which seals the open end of the iioat 25, forming an airchaniber therein and causing the same to rise with the liquid or ink until the tapering end 24 closes the aperture 17, this taper end bevimos owing to the slight taper. of the valve 5 and `its seat in the passage 17 said valve will automatically seat itself and remain seated by friction or capillary force even when the ink recedes therefrom or the pen is inverted. This operation causes the ink to be retained in the reservoir for use when desired, and at the same time the plug 4 may, if necessary, be operated to force the valve 24 from its seat, so that as the ink is used or exhausted from the reservoir the float-valve will readily descend by gravity to its initial position at the lower end of the reservoir, the operation just described being repeated as often as the ink in the reservoir is exhausted.

In Fig. (i I have shown a slightly-modified form of my invention, in which I employ a `valve 30, being provided with a -depending stein 32, which is guided in a suitable nipple 33, secured to the lower end of the cap or sleeve 34. This cap 34 is substantiallyidentical with the cap 3, except that its lower face is provided with an annular groove 35, in which is frictionally secured the Vupper end of the nipple 33, the opening in the lower wall -of said nipple which receives the stem 32 be- -ing of slightly-greater diameter than said sleeve for permitting a passage of air during the operation of drawing the ink into the reservoir. The upper portion of the device just ldescribed is substantially the same as that seen in Fig. 1, having the plug 4, valve-seat 17, and lengthwise and branch passages 21 and 22. The operation of this device is substantially the same as that described for the yoperatitm of the device seen in Fig. 1, except that the iioat 31, which may be of cork or any lother suitable material, is independent from the valve 30 or its stem 32.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a still further modivtied form of my invention, consisting of an` ink reservoir or holder 40, a sleeve or cap 41, and oppositely arranged lower and upper valves 42 and 43, the lower valve 42 being substantially the same as that seen in Fig. 1, except that the air-chamber at its lower end is somewhat shorter. The upper end of the reservoir 40 is provided with valve-seats 44 and 45 and a threaded socket 46, the valveseat 44 receiving the valve 42 and the valveseat 45 being arranged to receive the valve 43. The cap or sleeve 41 is formed with a lengthwise socket 47, in which is arranged a coil-spring 48, one end of which bears against the upper wall of the socket, and the lower end is adapted to engage the upper end of the valve 43` for normally seating said valve 43 in the seat 45. This valve 43 is provided with an upwardly-extending stein within the coil-spring 48 and projecting above the cap or sleeve 41, being provided with a removable mouthpiece 49. The lower end of the cap or sleeve 41 is provided with transverse grooves 50, which serve to prevent the closing of the communication between the socket 47 and valve-seats 44 and 45. The opening in the upper end of the sleeve 41 through which the TOO IIO

stem in the Valve 43 passes is of slightlygreater diameter than said stern and communicates with the socket 47. In-the operation of this device when it is desired to fill the reservoir with ink the upper end of the cap or sleeve and portion 49 are inserted intoA the mouth, the operator engaging the member 49 with the teeth and drawing the valve 43 from its seat against the action of the spring 48 and at the same time sucks or draws the air from the reservoir, causing the ink to elevate the float-valve 42 and to thereby close the passage 44. When the valve 42 is thus seated, its upper end extends slightly into the Valvecharnber 45, and as soon as the reservoir is filled the operator releases the Valve 43, and spring 48 forces said Valve into its seat, and thereby releases the valve 42 from the seat 44 in order that the said valve 42 may readily descend by gravity as the ink is exhausted from the reservoir.

The operation of my invention will now be readily understood upon reference to the foregoingdescription and theaccompanyingdrawings, and it will be noted that the essential feature of my invention consists in drawing the ink into the reservoir by suction produced by the operator and also in providing a suitable f1oat-valve actuated by the iniux of the ink into the reservoir for automatically closing the su ction-passage when the reservoir is suciently lled.

I have shown several means for carrying out the object of my invention; but it will be evident that other means may be employed without departing from the spirit of this invention. Therefore I do not limit myself to the precise construction and arrangement of the devices shown and described.

Having thus describedmy invention, what I claim, and desire t0 secure by Letters vPatent, is-

1. A fountain-pen comprising an inclosing case having an ink-reservoir and an air-passage leading from the reservoir to the exterior of the case and serving as a suction-.pas-

sage for the purpose described, and a Valve actuated by the influx of ink to close said passage, and a movable member for unseating the valve. l

2. A fountain-pen comprising an inclosing case having an ink-reservoir and an air-passage leading from the reservoir to the exterior of the case and serving as a suction-passage for the purpose described, a valve actuated by the influx of ink to close said passage, and movable means for unseating the valve and closing said passage.

3. A fountain-peu comprising an inclosing case having an ink-reservoir and an air-passage leading from the reservoir to the eXterior of the case and serving as a suction-passage for the purpose described, a float-actuated valve for closing said passage, and means for unseating the Valve and simultaneously closing the passage.

4. In a fountain-pen, the combination with a reservoir having a pen-holding section atl one end and an air-passage at its other end leading from the reservoir for the purpose described, a float-actuated valve automatically closing the passage by the inuX of ink, and an adjustable member for opening and closing the passage and forunseating said valve.

5. A fountain-pen comprising an ink-reservoir, a pen-holding section and ink-feed in one end of the reservoir, a sleeve in the other end of the reservoir and provided with a valveopening, a float-operated valve actuated by the influx of ink to close the opening, a plug movable in said sleeve and having a passage leading from the valve-opening to the exterior of the plug, said plug being arranged to NORMAN C. STILES.

Witnesses:

H. E. CHASE, MILDRED M. NoTT. 

